Tue. April 15, 2014
Chicago, IL -
A celebration of life for legendary DJ, record producer and remixer Frankie Knuckles will be Monday, April 21, 6-9 p.m. at Progressive Baptist Church, 3658 S. Wentworth Ave., Chicago.
Known globally as the Godfather of House Music, Knuckles died unexpectedly from complications with diabetes at his home in Chicago on March 31. He was 59.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to either in the memory of Frankie to: American Diabetes Association (diabetes.org) or Gay Men Health Crisis of NYC (gmhc.org).
The Godfather of House Music: Frankie Knuckles
Born in New York City in 1955, Knuckles later moved to Chicago where he played an important role in developing and popularizing house music in the 1980s. The term "house" describes the style of music played at the Warehouse Nightclub at 206 South Jefferson in Chicago, where Knuckles was a resident DJ.
In 1983, Knuckles moved from the Warehouse to his own club, the Power Plant.
The City of Chicago renamed a stretch of Jefferson Street near the site of the old Warehouse "The Godfather of House Music" Frankie Knuckles Way in 2004.
That same year, Knuckles was honored by the Illinois legislature, through the efforts of then state Sen. Barack Obama and state Rep. Kenneth Dunkin, with a resolution commemorating the DJ and producer for his 30 years of achievements in the music industry.
Knuckles, a Grammy Award winner in 1998, was inducted into Chicago's Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame in 1996 and into the Dance Music Hall of Fame in 2005.
In addition to remixing artists such as Michael Jackson, Luther Vandross, and Diana Ross, Knuckles released a series of original productions, including a 1987's "Your Love" and 1991's "The Whistle Song".
Original story: Frankie Knuckles, Godfather of House Music, dead at 59
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